Things to think about when buying furniture

Buying furniture is not always easy. For most of us it is a very important and expensive purchase. But it doesn’t have to lead to problems. Good advice for you when you next go out looking for furniture.

The first thing is to look around for products that give you value for your money.

Well known brand names are often expensive. Search for products that are of similar or better quality than the brand names, but at a more affordable price. Do not always buy the cheapest - you want your furniture to last a lifetime – and compare the quality of the products in different stores.

Measure the room or rooms that you want to furnish to make sure that the furniture you select will fit in comfortably. Don’t forget to measure the doors in your house as some pieces of furniture will not fit through a normal doorway.

You should also take along examples - or the colours - of your tiles, carpets and curtains to make sure that your new furniture will match your existing furnishings. Take your family and their needs into account – light coloured sofas will quickly be full of stains if you have small children. It is usually best for the husband and wife to choose their new furniture together – particularly if their tastes differ. Remember, you are both going to be using the furniture for a long time.

The prices advertised by furniture stores almost never include the transport cost.

Transport can easily cost between R150 and R500 depending on where you live. You can lower your transport costs by:

Asking friends and family members to help you transport the furniture with a bakkie or else rent a trailer. Paying petrol or the rent of a trailer will be far cheaper than transporters’ charges.

Buy more than one product at a time. If, for example, you save for a bit longer and buy a base set and a chest of drawers at the same time and transport them home together, it will cost you much less.

See if you can’t get what you want at a branch close to your home, which will also reduce delivery costs.

Please don’t forget take along a couple of blankets and a good quality rope when you collect your furniture. The furniture will get damaged if it is not protected. And never collect your furniture on a rainy day - furniture doesn’t like water!

1. All items are available on lay-buy;
2. 5 Star Furniture offers up to 12 month lay-buy. A deposit of 10% is required and the outstanding balance is payable in up to 12 equal monthly payments